Sprinkler system connection for sprinkler head



Feb. 18, 1958 H. w. HEMPEL SPRINKLER SYSTEM CONNECTION FOR SPRINKLER HEAD Filed July 2'7, 1955 /A/1/E/\/-ror: HERBERT MHEMPEL v United States Patent SPRINKLER SYSTEM CONNECTION"FOR1 SPRINKLER HEAD Herbert W-. Hempel hellevilleg 111;. Application July 27; 1953; Serial No. 370,457? 4 Claims. (CL 2109532);

The present invention, relatesrgenerallwto fiIHPIOtC tion systems, andmore. particularly topimprovedconnectionsforthe sprinkler: headszfor attaching-the; same into the fluid. containing pipe. line.

In; the. early'years, of the protection. sprinkler systems, the installations included standard redueen. Trs; with pendant: drop lines.- extendingtfromethe: bottom thereof for; the: attachment. of sprinkler: heads.v As..the.= systems aged, it was found, thattrust, dirt, and other accumulations dropped into, the. pendant lines. andfouled; the sprinkler heads,-. makingthem inoperative... To overcome this situation, underwriters, andother agenciesnow require that. the stem. of-the. standard. T. be, directed: P- wardly from the. fluid: pipe lines. so thatlthfii sprinkler head is connectedtheretoby two verticalzandi one horizontalpipe, line segmentspwith theanecessa-ry, elbowsin order to dispose; the, sprinkler, head; in: Operative; position beneath the fluid-containing pipeline. Satisfactory results are obtained with this sprinkler head connection, but there are numerous disadvantages.

The installationis-more expensive than the simple drop pendant, since more parts and more labor. are. required for installation. Additional pipe fitterfs time is often required in making the connection installation, since oftenthe headers are close to ceiling or roofjoists, making it diflicult to swing pipe Wrenches in limited quarters. Additional points for possible leakage. are included in this type of sprinkler head;connection, par ticularly since often the parts cannot" be,,etfectively tightened in cramped quarters. In new installations when pendants are dropped through ceilings, a dummy drop pendant for ceiling mounted sprinkler heads is first used to permit completion of the ceiling job after which the pendant is measured for length, removed, rethreaded and re-installed with the sprinkler head attached. In this connection, frequently, when the pendant drop is to be removed, the multiple connection above the header tends to twist and it becomes very difiicult to relocate the elbow into which the pendant must fit and square this pendant with the ceiling, particularly in areas where no access space is available.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel simple sprinkler head connection which will overcome all of the disadvantages inherent in presently employed T fittings, which will fully comply with the requirements of the underwriters in respect to elimination of fouling of the sprinkler head through the accumulation of foreign matter, and which will permit the sprinkler head to depend directly from the fiuid pipe line in manner similar to original installations.

Briefly, one embodiment of the invention accomplishing these objects is a modified T fitting formed to include an internal water chamber having a connection at the top with the fluid pipe line and a connection at the bottom with the sprinkler head, the former being at a level adjacent the top of the fluid pipe line so that foreign matter passing through or surging back and forth in the fluid pipe line cannot enter the water cham- 2; berand thence passinto. and. foul the. sprinkler head. A second exemplification of the present invention comprises, .a modified T1 fitting whieh includes 1 a riser. extending-vertically: from :thebottom: of the-T fitting to a point near; thetop of; the fluid pipe line,..the. riser communieating, with the; fluid pipe. line at thetop and with the sprinkler; head at the bottom.

Another objectis-pto, provide. a: novel sprinkler; head connection, which,,will facilitate the. installation and removal of sprinkler heads, and which, isleconomical both to make andto install.

Another object is. to:P,r0vide1anove1- spriuklen head connection, which will preyent the fouling, of the sprinkler head; through the accumulation of. foreign matten, and which; Willv continue; to; function for its. intended purpose without maintenance. for an, indefiniteperiod not, time.

The; foregoing 1 andother, objects; and advantages are apparent from the following description taken-withthe accompanying: drawing, in which: 1

Fig; 1 is aside elevational. view of. a sprinkler head connection incorporatingthe teachings v of the. present in,- ventiondnstalled inafiuid pipe line, only segments. of the pipe line and-.ofgthe depending straight run of pipe tothe; sprinkler" head being illustrated for conservation of space;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse verticalcross-sectional view on substantially the line 2-2.of Fig, 1;.

Big. 3 is a, vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view on, substantially the line ,-3--3.- of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a, crossesectional view similarto Fig, 2 through a modified sprinklerhead connection; and;

Fig. 5-is a vertical. longitudinal cross-sectional, view on substantially-the line. 5.-5 of Fig, 4.

Referring to. the drawing. more. particularly by referonce-numerals, 10 indicates. generally one embodiment of a sprinkler head, connection; which; includes; the concepts Off thelpresent invention, (Figs. l-3). The connection 10, is a. modified; T fitting. comprising a. casing 1 2 havingthreaded annular aligned openings 14. Within;the;casing;1 2 is anannular wall, 16- which, with. the casing 12, forms,a. watergchamber, 18. Anopening. 20 in the wall 16 communicates the water. chamber 18, with the interior ofthe casing 1,2, and a threaded opening 22.. through the casing lzjcommunicatesthe water chamber 18 with the outside of the connection 10. The threaded opening 22 threadedly receives a depending pipe segment 24 to the lower end of which is connected a sprinkler head (not shown). The sprinkler head may be connected directly into the threaded opening 22 if desired for some installations. Pipe segments 26 of the main fluid pipe line are threaded into the openings 14 in the usual manner.

It will be noted that the opening 20, which may be of any configuration, is above the flow line of the pipe segments 26 so that rust and other foreign matter within the system will not enter the water chamber 18, hence, will not get into and foul the sprinkler head disposed beneath the opening 22. The size and shape of the water chamber 18 as defined by the casing 12 and the wall 16 may be varied as desired to secure proper flow areas, and the opening 20 may be located at any point approaching the top of the pipe segments 26.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is another embodiment of the present invention, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 30. The sprinkler connection 30 is a modified T fitting which comprises a casing 32 having threaded aligned openings 34. A threaded opening 36 extends through the lower portion of the casing 32 which threadedly receives a riser unit 38. The riser unit 38 includes a threaded portion 40, a hexagonal portion 42, and a tubular portion 44 which extends upwardly toward the top of the casing 32. Pipe segments 46 are threadedly ment 48 is threadedly connected into the riser unit 38 and depends therefrom, which receives at its lower end a sprinkler head (not shown). The sprinkler head may be connected directly into the lower part of the riser unit 38 if desired.

The configuration of the casing 32 may be varied as desired to secure proper flow areas, as may the configuration of the riser unit 38. The top of the riser unit 38 should approach the top line of the pipe segments 46 in order to insure that rust and other foreign matter within the main pipe line will not pass into it and thence to the sprinkler head. The riser unit 38 may be cast integral with the casing 32 if desired.

It is manifest that the sprinkler head connections and 30 fulfill the advantages and objects sought therefor. While the present disclosure is directed to a sprinkler head connection for sprinkler systems, the instant novel fitting also finds application in chemical or ore processing, oil

refining and similar pipe systems where bleed and take- 011 lines are taken from the bottom side of main horizontal runs.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example. It is also to be understood that changes in form of the elements, rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A sprinkler head connection for installing a sprinkler head in directly depending relation to a fluid pipe line comprising a casing, means for connecting the casing into a fluid pipe line, means for connecting a sprinkler head to the bottom of the casing, a wall within said casing spaced from the inside thereof and forming therewith a chamber disposed substantially out of the fluid flow path through said connection, and an opening in said inner wall near or above the maximum level of fluid in a connected fluid pipe line communicating said chamber and the area interiorly of said inner wall, the maximum level of fluid in a connected fluid pipe line being the vertical internal diameter of such fluid pipe line, said sprinkler connecting means including an opening through said casing leading from said chamber.

2. A fitting for connecting a pendent line directly into the lower side of a fluid receiving pipe line comprising a casing, a liquid flow path running through said casing, means for connecting the casing into a fluid receiving pipe line, a wall within said casing out of said liquid flow path, said wall beingspaced from the casing and forming therewith a chamber, a portion of said chamber being beneath the liquid flow path of said fitting, an opening in said wall communicating said liquid flow path and said chamber, said opening being at a level near or at the maximum level of liquid in the flow path, and a pendent line connected into said chamber below the top of said fitting.

3. A fitting for connecting a pendent line directly into the lower side of a fluid receiving pipe line comprising a casing, a liquid flow path running through said casing, means for connecting the casing into a fluid receiving pipe line, a wall within said casing out of said liquid flow path, said wall being spaced from the casing and forming therewith a chamber, said chamber comprising an annular space surrounding said liquid flow path, an opening in said wall communicating said liquid flow path and said chamber, said opening being at a level near or at the maximum level of liquid in the flow path, and a pendent line connected into said chamber below the top of said fitting.

4. A fitting for connecting a pendent line directly into the lower side of a fluid receiving pipe line comprising a casing, a liquid flow path running through said casing, means for connecting the casing into a fluid receiving pipe line, a wall within said casing, said wall being spaced from the casing and forming therewith a chamber, a portion of said chamber being below the liquid flow path of said fitting, an opening in said wall communicating said liquid flow path and said chamber, said opening being at a level near or at the maximum level of liquid in the flow path, and a pendent line connected into said chamber below the top of said fitting.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 302,343 Kitton July 22, 1884 445,090 Sewall Ian. 20, 1891 622,897 Lawler Apr. 11, 1899 921,111 Honeywell May 11, 1909 924,953 Yeiser June 15, 1909 1,583,310 Reeves May 4, 1926 1,791,385 Skuttle Feb. 3, 1931 1,887,781 Parr Nov. 15, 1932 

